Contrary to what most of us believe, our progress over the past few decades has been unprecedented. By almost any index you care to identify, things are markedly better now than they have ever been for almost everyone alive.

Examining official data from the United Nations, the World Bank and the World Health Organization, I trace just how far we have come in tackling the issues facing our species. While it’s true that not every problem has been solved, we do now have a good idea of the solutions and we know what it will take to see this progress continue. Counter-intuitive, dramatic and uplifting, Progress is a call for renewed hope in defiance of the doom-mongering of politicians and the media.

New documentary on Adam Smith in production

On September 8 shooting started in Paris for a new documentary hosted by Johan Norberg titled “Markets, Morality and Adam Smith”.

In this production photo taken at the Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, Johan is presenting two of the library’s most prized items: first editions of Adam Smith’s “Theory of Moral Sentiments” from 1759 and Diderot’s “Encyclopédie” from 1751.

More to follow as the production wraps up!

“Freedom, equality, brotherhood!”

With the Swedish national elections coming up on September 14, a major political debate was held before a large and enthusiastic audience in Malmö on September 1.

However, in an attempt to move away from partisanship and an increasingly formulaic political debate, the event focused on today’s ideological differences between leftists and liberals in Sweden, using the theme “Freedom, equality, brotherhood!”, with Johan Norberg – naturally – championing the liberal view, discussing his understanding of the meaning of freedom.

Someone else pays

A new Swedish documentary on the wasting of taxpayer’s money – “Någon annan betalar” (Someone else pays) premiered on YouTube on September 3.

The documentary is directed and produced by Martin Borgs, who also produced the internationally acclaimed documentary Overdose – The Next Financial Crisis, which was hosted by Johan Norberg and which is based on his acclaimed book “Financial Fiasco: How America’s Infatuation With Homeownership and Easy Money Created the Financial Crisis”.

In the new documentary – fully financed through crowdfunding! –Johan is interviewed about the workings of wasteful public spending.